Grapple.



G. W. DRAKE.

GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1912.

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CHARLES W. DRAKE, OF WELLINGTON, TEXAS.

GRAPPLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Application filed July 30, 1912. Serial No. 712,236.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. DRAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at \Vellington, in the county of Collingsworth and State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grapples, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for removing pipes or tubing fromwells, and its object is to provide a cheap, simple, durable and easilyoperated device of this kind, and also one which is readily adjustableto pipes or tubing of different diameters.

lVith this object in view, the invention consists in a novel combinationand arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is anelevation showing the device in use. Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective viewsof the two grapples.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes the upper end of a wellcasing from which the pipe 6 is to be removed. The device foraccomplishing this comprises two grapples which are adapted to engagethe pipe, the upper grapple serving to lift the pipe, and the lower oneacting as a clutch to hold the pipe while the upper grapple is taking anew hold. The upper grapple comprises a yoke, the two branches 7 ofwhich straddle the pipe, and carry a cross-pin 8 which is designed tocome in contact with the pipe, on one side thereof. The yoke has a shank9 which latter is connected by a link 10 to an operating lever 11fulorumed at 12 between the upper ends on a pair of uprights 13. The pinhas one of its ends formed into an eye 14 for convenience in handlingthe same. It will also be noted that the pin is angular in crosssectionand curved intermediate its ends in the direction of its length. Theyoke branches have apertures in which the pin is mounted and the pinextends transversely between said branches near the outer ends thereof.The pin is made angular in crosssection in order to provide sharp edgesto engage the pipe, whereby a tight grip on the latter is had, and alldanger of the same slipping is thus obviated, By making the pin curved,the grapple can be readily adjust-ed to pipes of different diameters.Upon rotating the pin it is brought toward or from the pipe. It will, ofcourse, be understood, that the pin, in View of the fact that it isangular in cross-section, must be removed from the yoke before it can beturned and adjusted to suit the pipe. In order to provide a'wide rangeof adjustment, the yoke branches have a plurality of openings 15 for thepin. When the grapple is in holding position, it is inclined as shown inFig. 1, the sharp edge of the pin being in contact with the pipe on oneside, and the upper edge of the rear portion of the yoke engaging theopposite side of the pipe, the latter extending between the yokebranches. The rear ends of the yoke branches are brought together in acurve as clearly shown in Fig. 2 so that they extend partly around thepipe and thus have an extended bearing surface.

The lower grapple 16 is in all respects similar to the top grappleexcept that its shank 17 has a downturned hook 18 at its extremity.

In operation, the two grapples are placed around the pipe to be pulledout of the well, the uprights being placed close thereto. The lowergrapple is not connected to the lever 11 but has its hook-shaped shank17 resting loosely on top of a suitable support 19. The lever being nowoperated, the pipe is pulled out of the well on the tip-stroke of thatend of the lever which carries the top grapple, the latter gripping thepipe and pulling it up, and on the down-stroke, the grapple lets go ofthe pipe and slips down the same to take a new hold on the nextupstroke. The lower grapple grips the pipe and holds the same when theupper grapple is taking a new hold, and when the pipe is moving upward,said lower grapple comes into release posit-ion.

The device is very simple in construction and easily operated. Theuprights and lever are connected by a single pin which serves as thepivot of the lever, and fastens the three pieces together in thesimplest manner. The uprights rest loosely on the ground, which isessential because in lifting the pipe from the Well, the pipe isinclined to shift laterally more or less, which makes it necessary forthe device to swing With it.

I claim:

A lifting device comprising upper and lower grapples, each of Whichcomprises a member carrying a cross-pin which is angular incross-section and curved in the direction of its length, said pin beingrotata- 1 upper grapple, and uv support for the lower grapple.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES \V. DRAKE. \Vitnesses 2 J. R. BENSON, E. E. MCCOLLISTER.

Copies of this patent may 0e obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

ble, a lever operatively connected to the 10

